Below are my picks for the very best cruise ship restaurants at sea. Others are bargains.īut the bottom line is there are a lot of wonderful restaurants on cruise ships. Just like at resorts on land, there's incredible diversity out there. Over the years, as part of testing and reviewing nearly 200 vessels operated by 41 different lines, I've eaten at pretty much every cruise ship restaurant. Some mainstream lines, such as Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, even have called in chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants to help them design entire culinary programs. Norwegian Cruise Line brags that its biggest vessel, Norwegian Encore, has more than 20 different food venues - everything from a casual barbecue restaurant (with live country music) to a high-end Italian spot from the creators of New York City's Scarpetta. You'll now find stand-alone restaurants on high-end cruise ships created and overseen by some of the world's most famous chefs, including Nobu Matsuhisa, Alain Ducasse and Jacques Pepin.įor more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.īut even on the largest mass-market cruise ships, the food is getting ever more elaborate and diverse. Quality dining has always been a big part of the cruising experience, and cruise ship restaurant offerings only have improved over the years. There's a storyline out there that cruises are little more than gorge fests, prioritizing quantity over quality.Īfter writing about cruising for nearly 30 years, I can tell you this is far from the truth. Take a reusable water bottle so you can fill up from the free water and juice machines as you like.When it comes to onboard restaurants and dining, cruise ships often get a bad rap. Always take your passport off the ship – just in case.Ĩ.

You need to keep your Carnival Sunrise card on you at all times so it’s a good idea to bring a lanyard to keep the card safe and accessible, so you don’t have to buy one.ħ. Relax and watch the band at the bar on Princess Cays, it was free and one of my favourite experiences on the cruise.Ħ. It’s not called the Carnival Sunrise for nothing!ĥ. I made the mistake of putting them in my luggage and had them taken off me (I talked to guest services and got them back 48 hours later).Ĥ. Make sure you take the allotted 12 cans of coke you’re allowed, and bottle of wine per person, on the ship, yourself. Then you can eat outside and by the pool too.ģ. Go to the front of the ship for your fresh eggs and omelette for breakfast – queues are crazy in the centre. Avoid going to guest services on day one, as you’d expect queues can be very long – I queued for over an hour.Ģ.

Carnival sunrise specialty restaurants